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Less than a day after enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in Fall Classic annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a composed outing as the Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the matchup will return to Toronto.

Toronto had spent the morning of Tuesday dealing with their marathon Game 3 loss – tied for the lengthiest World Series game ever – a defeat that denied them the chance to lead the series and depleted both relief corps. Manager John Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers took a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered convincing proof.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Blue Jays team that led MLB with 49 comeback wins this season.

They answered immediately in the third. Lukes hit a one away single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a curveball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and he drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a fresh team record – regaining the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless frames and changing the momentum of the game.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also ended Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 consecutive at-bats getting on base. The dual-threat phenomenon had smashed two homers and got on base a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on that night, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

His pitch speed sat under his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the contest progressed. Even so, he showed flashes of his usual command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first to extend his World Series record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what followed when he eventually lost steam.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right, and Clement drilled a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the jam and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a full count before driving in Varsho with a base hit to left field. Ty France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove Banda out of the contest. Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring singles through the infield, completing a four-run barrage that extended the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Toronto's capacity to absorb initial blows and respond has characterized their whole run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order man who exited the third game after straining his oblique.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what the Blue Jays required. Traded for mid-season while completing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner left multiple baserunners and quieted the Dodgers' potent batting order. He allowed one run on four hits and three free passes before the manager called on rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just 4 throws to retire Max Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile lead that soon grew safe.

Former starter Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats kept to struggle. The Dodgers have scored only 3 runs over their last 20 frames, an abrupt downturn for a team that was among MLB's elite offenses all year.

Final Moments

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth when Edman hit into an out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's double put two aboard. But Louis Varland finished the game without permitting a rally to build.

Following a game when the Blue Jays stranded a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after repeated of wasted opportunities, the fourth contest was brutally efficient. 6 separate Toronto players recorded hits, 5 brought home runs and the team cashed almost every scoring opportunity presented in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The win guarantees the World Series title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning homer in 1993. They now know they are guaranteed a packed crowd in Canada on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

Game 5 approaches with the series even and energy shifting to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Toronto's momentum. Toronto counter with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto chased the starter quickly in an decisive victory.